Connecting device.



D. D. GORDON.

CONNECTING DEVlCE.

APPLICATION FILED FERN-1913.

1,146,325., Patented Jul 13, 1915.

391 25 20 Z11 ZZ entrain srairss rarest names.

DAVID D. GORIJOILOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,-ASSIGNOR TO THE YOST ELECTRICMANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

oommctrmo DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, DAVID D. GonDoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chi: cage, in the. county of Cook and State t Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Connecting Devices, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being bad to the accompimying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to connecting devices and has for its object theprovision of an improved device of this character which is moreparticularly an im1 )rovcment over my Patent No. 1,041,066.

My invention contemplates a connecting deviise for electric circuitswhich n'iay be very advantageously used in connection-with so calledplugs, and I will describe my invention herein as particularly appliedto such a lug,-.

In my said atent I use a plug portion having withinit a plunger, whichplunger acts upon a movable element when the plug is inserted. in thesocket in such a way as to hold the plug in place. this movable elementserving at the same time as'a current conducting element to establishcircuit conditions between the lug and the socket.

In my present invention 1 have increased the. amount ofconductingsurfacebetween the plug and the screw threaded portion of thesocket, and i use a movable element controlled hy a plunger for lockingpurposes only.

l .ly invention, of course. is capable of other application and byspecifically describing it as applied to a plug herein, It do not limitmyself to such specific arrangement. T will describe my invention morein detail. by referring: to the accou'ipanying drawing illustrating thesame as applied to a plug, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plug in longitudinal section as applied to a socket.which is partly in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a side view partly insection of my improved plug, and Fig". 3 is a perspective view of theplunger. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I show a socket 1 which maybe provided with the customary key 2, and which has a cen ral contactmember 3 and an out-' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1913.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Serial No. 751,190.

side annular screw threaded contact member -:t. My plug isadapted forengagement with this socket and is adaptedto contact with, the elements3 and r, therefore when said plug is inserted in place.

The plug; consists of a base portion 5 having' the cylindrical extension6, within which cylindrical extension a plunger 7 is adapted toreciprocate. This plungercarries a contact element 8 which is adapted toengage a contact element 3, and this contact element 8 is held in placeby a screw 9 which on gages a contact port-ion 10 at the rear end ofthis plunger. This contact member 10 has a pocket 11 within which sitscoiled spring 12, the opposite end of which coiled spring sits in apocket 13 provided in a contact element 14: carried by the base portion5. The tube 6 of the base portion also has a contact member 15 whichthrough .the agency of the conducting, element 16' conmccts with thebinding post 1?. Suitable wires 19 and 18 lead to the contact elementsl-l and 16 respectively, thus to provide a conducting means to theelements 8 and 15. lhe side of. the phmger opposite to that whichcarries the contact element 15 has a recessed. portion 20 in the formor" a valley which is adapted to work in conjunction with a lockingelement 2 herein shown as sphere. This element is held between thisvalley portion and between inclined walls 22 of the tube portion 6. Slot23 is provided in this tube portion so that a screw "2i may be insertedto define the movements of the plunger and also to lock the partstogether after assembling. The element '31 is confined between the walls22, 22 so that it cannot fall out. When the plug is as shown. in Fig. i,he ball 21 rests in the valley and does not protrude beyond the out- 1side contour of the tube 6. l i hen however the plug is inserted in thesocket as shown in Fig. 1, the base portion is pressed in farther thanthe plunger, against the action of the spring 12, and the ball 21 thenrides upon the incline of the valley portion 20 so' that it engages thescrew threaded element 4. A slight turning movement of the entire plug,then locks all of the parts securely in posi- 'tion. A. very efficientcontact is thereby established between the screw threaded ele ment andthe contact element 15, and the contact elements 3 and 8; the element 21is merely used for locking purposes. It will be seen that adequateconducting surface is thus provided between the various elements andproper facilities are afforded forlocking the plug in place afterinsertion.

Having thus described one form' which my invention may take, I do notwish to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement hereinset forth, but

Having thus described one form of carrying out-my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A plug having a base portion and-a plunger, a contact element carriedby the plunger, a fixed contact element pravided upon said base,portion, said contact elements being adapted for engagement with theconducting portions of an internally screw threaded socket, said fixedcontact element being of a width to span the space between apices ofsaid screw threaded socket, a locking-element, and means where; by theplunger controls the outward movement of saidlocking element, said meansincluding an inclined surface portion proplunger, said base portionvided upon said hold said locking element having means to in place.

2. A plug having a base portion and a plunger, a contact element carriedby the plunger, a fixed contact element provided upon said base portion,said contact elements being adapted for engagement with the conductingportions of an internally screw threaded socket, said fixed cont-actelement being of a width to span the space ments being adapted forengagement with the central and inner screw threaded contact portions ofa socket, said fixed contact element being of a width to span the spacebetween apices of said screw threaded socket, a locking device providedupon said base portion on the opposite side of the fixed contact elementcarried by said base, and means where y said plunger when moved inwardlytoward said base portion moves said locking device outwardly, there- -byto engage the inner contact portion or".

the socket and more the fixed contact element into engagement with theinner conducting portion of the socket and lock the plug in position,said fixed contact extending throughout a substantial portion of theperiphery of said base.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day ofFebruary A. 1)., 1913.

DAVID D. GORDON. Witnesses:

H. A. Jones,

0. M. WEBMICH.

